I have an 05 f150 xlt that I did the plugs on last summer. My main advice on it due to the issues I ran into is to put some kind of penetrating oil on them first. The people assembling the trucks apparently fond of anti-seize, and I could swear they were torqued as tight as my lug nuts. Lol. Definitely use anti-seize on your new ones. I didn't buy the little extractor tool before I started and had my truck sitting a few days while I had one shipped to where I was. I'd either get one, or know where one is close that you can buy if need be. I'm not sure if your truck is the same as mine, but my last 2 or 4 plugs were kind of a bitch to get to, but with some socket extensions and swivels, I made it happen. And finally, I definitely advise getting different plugs... Ones that don't have that second porcelain part that likes to snap. Good Luck. It isn't bad with the right tools on hand

 

What kind of plugs would that be? Lol. Also I've heard a lot of people saying they use an impact to take the plugs out? That makes me think they would break that way?

 

I used an impact on mine. Not sure it made any difference but I did it. Put some liquid wrench on all the plugs loosened a quarter turn, put more in, then put the impact on and went to town. Was instructed to not stop once the plug was spinning with the impact or it would bind and break. Only one broke for me but it looked much older than the other 7 so I'm pretty sure 7 of 8 had been changed before and they just didn't want to mess with the one on the passenger side on the back. Just get the tool. We broke one and didn't have the tool so it had to sit a few days while the tool came in.

 

I'm getting mine changed next week and I'm taking it to my local mechanic and he quoted me $400 at the most and is replacing them with the spark plugs that won't break off. But everywhere else I checked at are starting out at $400 and will just go up from there, all the places I've talked to said they hate working on the 5.4s spark plugs

 

Well... Mine is done also. Started last October, broke three in it. Tool was no help because my spark plugs broke on top of where it supposed to break. Threading was stuck in there too. I tried to drill out the ceramic pieces,no luck. Found a guy in town (works for the ford dealership in town for over 15 years). He said he couldn't help me. But according to him the only thing to do is to take out the block and remove them that way. Just labor $2000 at the dealership. Finally found another guy that looked at it. (works for the chevy dealership in town). Charged me $500. At this point i couldn't care less. Took him a week during his lunchbreaks and a weekend. I'm soooo happy to have the truck back. What an ordeal.
Now i just gotta get rid of my Lisle tool.

 

Take the deal. Not worth the headaches.

 

I didn't want to deal with the head ache of messing with the 5.4 spark plug issue, there is not enough curse words in my vocabulary to handle one breaking on me. I called all around and every mechanic said they would charge me base on hourly labor rates. I talked to the local ford dealer and they said that they have a pretty high success rate with changing the 5.4 plugs. I challenged the service department manager on how good his mechanics were and explained my worries of all the plugs breaking and winding up with a 2K bill. I pulled out 4 100 dollar bills and said if you mechanics are "that good" you will make a good profit if all come out as they should. If not I just made a good business deal. I gave them my truck, the next day the service manager called me and said the first 4 have broken, well 7 of 8 broke. Based on all the horror stories I have heard, I am happy with my outcome and hopefully this is the last set of spark plugs my truck will see.

 

Cost me $420Cdn total. Broke 2 out of 8.

 

Yeah my biggest fear is one of them breaking and the tool not working! But I'm going to give it a shot anyway. Does anyone know why these plugs break? The dealership told me it had to do with carbon build up in the heads? Anyway I can try to fix that before I do this?

Also what kind of plugs aren't going to break?

 

I got mine done from a ford mechanic that does them on the side in kitchener ontario which doesn't help most of you guys in the US but I am sure there is one of them that can do it for you alot less. it cost me $260.00 plugs included !!!